REVIVING HOPES AND BRIGHTENING PROSPECTS.
"If you can without fatigue, dear, do come to dinner to-day; you'll then see the people one by one as they appear, of having to a of strangers. Hollingford will be here too. I you'll it pleasant."
So Molly her at dinner that day; and got to know, by at least, some of the most of the visitors at the Towers. The next day was Thursday, Cynthia's wedding-day; and in the country, it might be in London. And there were from the home-people Molly when she came to the late breakfast. For, every day, every hour, she was and health, and she was to continue her any longer than was necessary. She looked so much that Sir Charles noticed it to Lady Harriet; and of the visitors spoke of her this as a very pretty, lady-like, and girl. This was Thursday; on Friday, as Lady Harriet had told her, some visitors from the more were to over the Sunday; but she had not mentioned their names, and when Molly into the drawing-room dinner, she was almost by Roger Hamley in the centre of a group of gentlemen, who were all talking together eagerly, and, as it to her, making him the object of their attention. He a in his conversation, the meaning of a question to him, answered it hastily, and his way to where Molly was sitting, a little Lady Harriet. He had that she was at the Towers, but he was almost as much by hers, as she was by his appearance, for he had only her once or twice since his return from Africa, and then in the of an invalid. Now in her dress, with her dressed, her a little with timidity, yet her movements and manners ease, Roger her, although he her identity. He to that which most men when with a very girl: a of to obtain her good opinion in a manner very different to his old familiar friendliness. He was when Sir Charles, she still was, came up to take her in to dinner. He not the of that passed the two, each being aware of Lady Harriet's plan of Molly from the of talking, and acting in with her as much as with their own. Roger himself puzzling, and them from time to time dinner. Again in the he her out, but her again pre-occupied with one of the men in the house, who had had the of two days of interest, and with the daily events and and of the family circle. Molly not help to off all this talk and to make room for Roger: she had so much to ask him about at the Hall; he was, and had been such a to them all for these last two months, and more. But though each wanted to speak to the other more than to any one else in the room, it so that to to prevent it. Lord Hollingford off Roger to the of middle-aged men; he was wanted to give his opinion upon some scientific subject. Mr. Ernulphus Watson, the man to above, his place by Molly, as the girl in the room, and almost her by his never-ceasing of small-talk. She looked so and at last that the ever-watchful Lady Harriet sent Sir Charles to the rescue, and after a with Lady Harriet, Roger saw Molly the room; and a or two which he Lady Harriet address to her him know that it was for the night. Those might another than the one.
"Really, Charles, that she is in your charge, I think you might have saved her from the and of Mr. Watson; I can only it when I am in the health."
Why was Molly in Sir Charles's charge? why? Then Roger many little that might to the he had got into his head; and he to puzzled and annoyed. It to him such an incongruous, hastily-got-up of engagement, if it was. On Saturday they were more fortunate: they had a long tête-à-tête in the most public place in the house—on a sofa in the where Molly was at Lady Harriet's going after a walk. Roger was through, and saw her, and came to her. Standing her, and making of playing with the gold-fish in a great marble close at hand,—
"I was very unlucky," said he. "I wanted to near you last night, but it was impossible. You were so talking to Mr. Watson, until Sir Charles Morton came and you off—with such an air of authority! Have you him long?"
Now this was not at all the manner in which Roger had pre-determined that he would speak of Sir Charles to Molly; but the came out in of himself.
"No! not long. I saw him I came here—on Tuesday. But Lady Harriet told him to see that I did not tired, for I wanted to come down; but you know I have not been strong. He is a of Lady Harriet's, and all she tells him to do."
"Oh! he is not handsome; but I he is a very man."
"Yes! I should think so. He is so though, that I can judge."
"He a very high in the county," said Roger, now to give him his full due.
Molly up.
"I must go upstairs," she said; "I only here for a minute or two Lady Harriet me."
"Stop a little longer," said he. "This is the place; this of water-lilies one the idea, if not the sensation, of coolness; besides—it so long since I saw you, and I have a message from my father to give you. He is very angry with you."
"Angry with me?" said Molly in surprise.
"Yes! He that you had come here for of air; and he was that you hadn't come to us—to the Hall, instead. He said that you should have old friends!"
Molly took all this gravely, and did not at notice the on his face.
"Oh! I am so sorry!" said she. "But will you tell him how it all happened. Lady Harriet called the very day when it was settled that I was not to go to—" Cynthia's wedding, she was going to add, but she stopped short, and, deeply, the expression, "go to London, and she planned it all in a minute, and and papa, and had her own way. There was no her."
"I think you will have to tell all this to my father if you to make your peace. Why can you not come on to the Hall when you the Towers?"
To go in the manner from one house to another, after the manner of a progress, was not at all according to Molly's home-keeping notions. She answer,—
"I should like it very much, some time. But I must go home first. They will want me more than now—"
Again she herself on a subject, and stopped short. Roger at her so what he must be on the of Cynthia's marriage. With she had that the idea must give him pain; and she also that he would to the pain; but she had not the presence of mind or to give a turn to the conversation. All this Roger, he tell why. He to take the by the horns. Until that was done, his with Molly would always be insecure; as it always is two friends, who avoid a to which their recur.
"Ah, yes!" said he. "Of you must be of now Miss Kirkpatrick has left you. I saw her marriage in The Times yesterday."
His of voice was in speaking of her, but her name had been named them, and that was the great thing to accomplish.
"Still," he continued, "I think I must my father's for a visit, and all the more, I can see the in your health since I came,—only yesterday. Besides, Molly," it was the old familiar Roger of days who spoke now, "I think you help us at home. Aimée is and with my father, and he has taken to her,—yet I know they would like and value each other, if some one but them together,—and it would be such a to me if this take place I have to leave."
"To leave—are you going away again?"
"Yes. Have you not heard? I didn't complete my engagement. I'm going again in September for six months."
"I remember. But somehow I fancied—you to have settled into the old at the Hall."
"So my father to think. But it is not likely I shall make it my home again; and that is the why I want my father to the of Aimée's with him. Ah, here are all the people from their walk. However, I shall see you again; this we may a little time, for I have a great to you about."
They then, and Molly very happy, very full and warm at her heart; it was so to have Roger talking to her in this way, like a friend; she had once that she look upon the great brown-bearded in the light of almost intimacy, but now it was all right. There was no opportunity for that afternoon. Molly a drive as fourth with two and one spinster; but it was very to think that she should see him again at dinner, and again to-morrow. On the Sunday evening, as they all were and on the lawn dinner, Roger on with what he had to say about the position of his sister-in-law in his father's house: the the mother and being the child; who was also, through jealousy, the of and the severance. There were many little to be in order to make Molly the of the on sides; and the man and the girl in what they were talking about, and away into the of the long avenue. Lady Harriet herself from a group and came up to Lord Hollingford, who was a little apart, and her arm his with the of a sister, she said,—
"Don't you think that your pattern man, and my woman, are out each other's good qualities?"
He had not been as she had been.
"Who do you mean?" said he.
"Look along the avenue; who are those?"
"Mr. Hamley and—is it not Miss Gibson? I can't make out. Oh! if you're your off in that direction, I can tell you it's waste of time. Roger Hamley is a man who will soon have an European reputation!"
"That's very possible, and yet it doesn't make any in my opinion. Molly Gibson is of him."
"She is a very pretty, good little country-girl. I don't to say anything against her, but—"
"Remember the Charity Ball; you called her 'unusually intelligent' after you had with her there. But, after all, we are like the and the in the Arabian Nights' Entertainment, who each up the of the Prince Caramalzaman and the Princess Badoura."
"Hamley is not a marrying man."
"How do you know?"
"I know that he has very little private fortune, and I know that science is not a profession, if it can be called."
"Oh, if that's all—a hundred may happen—some one may him a fortune—or this little that nobody wanted, may die."
"Hush, Harriet, that's the of to plan ahead for the future; you are sure to the death of some one, and to upon the as events."
"As if lawyers were not always doing something of the kind!"
"Leave it to those to it is necessary. I marriages or looking to deaths about equally."
"You are very and tiresome, Hollingford!"
"Only getting!" said he smiling; "I you had always looked upon me as a matter-of-fact fellow."
"Now, if you're going to fish for a I am gone. Only my when my comes to pass; or make a bet, and shall the money on a present to Prince Caramalzaman or Princess Badoura, as the case may be."
Lord Hollingford his sister's as he Roger say to Molly as he was the Towers on the day,—
"Then I may tell my father that you will come and pay him a visit next week? You don't know what it will give him." He had been on the point of saying "will give us," but he had an which told him it was as well to Molly's promised visit as to his father.
The next day Molly home; she was at herself for being so sorry to the Towers; and it difficult, if not impossible, to the long-fixed idea of the house as a place to all a child's of and with her new and fresh conception. She had health, she had had pleasure, the of a new and had into her life. No wonder that Mr. Gibson was with the in her looks, and Mrs. Gibson with her grace.
"Ah, Molly," said she, "it's to see what a little good will do for a girl. Even a week of with such people as one meets with at the Towers is, as somebody said of a lady of rank name I have forgotten, 'a education in itself.' There is something different about you—a je ne quoi—that would tell me at once that you have been with the aristocracy. With all her charms, it was what my Cynthia wanted; not that Mr. Henderson so, for a more lover can be conceived. He her a of diamonds. I was to say to him that I had to her of taste, and that he must not her with too much luxury. But I was at their going off without a maid. It was the one in the arrangements—the spot in the sun. Dear Cynthia, when I think of her, I do you, Molly, I make it my prayer that I may be able to you just such another husband. And all this time you have told me who you met at the Towers?"
Molly ran over a list of names. Roger Hamley's came last.
"Upon my word! That man is pushing his way up!"
"The Hamleys are a older family than the Cumnors," said Molly, up.
"Now, Molly, I can't have you democratic. Rank is a great distinction. It is to have dear papa with tendencies. But we won't to quarrel. Now that you and I are left alone, we ought to be friends, and I we shall be. Roger Hamley did not say much about that little Osborne Hamley, I suppose?"
"On the contrary, he says his father on the child; and he very proud of him, himself."
"I the Squire must be very much with something. I the French mother takes of that. Why! he has taken any notice of you for this month or more, and that you were everything."
It was about six since Cynthia's had publicly known, and that might have had something to do with the Squire's desertion, Molly thought. But she said,—
"The Squire has sent me an to go and there next week if you have no objection, mamma. They to want a for Mrs. Osborne Hamley, who is not very strong."
"I can tell what to say,—I don't like your having to with a Frenchwoman of rank; and I can't the of my child—my only now. I did ask Helen Kirkpatrick, but she can't come for some time; and the house is going to be altered. Papa has to me another room at last, for Cynthia and Mr. Henderson will, of course, come and see us; we shall have many more visitors, I expect, and your will make a lumber-room; and Maria wants a week's holiday. I am always so to put any in the way of any one's pleasure,—weakly unwilling, I believe,—but it would be very to have you out of the house for a days; so, for once, I will my own wish for your companionship, and your with papa."
Miss Brownings came to call and the of news. Mrs. Goodenough had called the very day on which they had returned from Miss Hornblower's, to tell them the of Molly Gibson having gone on a visit to the Towers; not to come at night, but to sleep there, to be there for two or three days, just as if she was a lady of quality. So Miss Brownings came to all the of the wedding from Mrs. Gibson, and the history of Molly's visit at the Towers as well. But Mrs. Gibson did not like this interest, and some of her old of Molly's at the Towers had returned.
"Now, Molly," said Miss Browning, "let us how you among the great folks. You must not be set up with all their attention; that they pay it to you for your good father's sake."
"Molly is, I think, aware," put in Mrs. Gibson, in her most soft and tone, "that she her of visiting at such a house to Lady Cumnor's to set my mind at at the time of Cynthia's marriage. As soon as I had returned home, Molly came back; indeed, I should not have it right to let her upon their what was necessary."
Molly at all this, though perfectly aware of the entire of the statement.
"Well, but, Molly!" said Miss Browning, "never mind you there on your own merits, or your father's merits, or Mrs. Gibson's merits; but tell us what you did when you were there."
So Molly an account of their and doings, which she have more to Miss Browning and Miss Phœbe if she had not been of her stepmother's listening. She had to tell it all with a squint; the way to a narration. She was also to Mrs. Gibson's of little which she to be facts. But what her most of all was Mrs. Gibson's last speech the Miss Brownings left.
"Molly has into with this visit of hers, of which she makes so much, as if nobody had been in a great house but herself. She is going to Hamley Hall next week,—getting dissipated, in fact."
Yet to Mrs. Goodenough, the next on the same of congratulation, Mrs. Gibson's was different. There had always been a the two, and the now ran as follows:—
Mrs. Goodenough began,—
"Well! Mrs. Gibson, I I must wish you of Miss Cynthia's marriage; I should with some mothers as had their daughters; but you're not one of that sort, I reckon."
Now, as Mrs. Gibson was not sure to which "sort" of mothers the was to be attached, she it a little difficult how to her reply.
"Dear Cynthia!" she said. "One can't but in her happiness! And yet—" she ended her by sighing.
"Ay. She was a woman as would always have her followers; for, to tell the truth, she was as a as I saw in my life. And all the more she needed guidance. I'm sure I, for one, am as as can be she's done so well by herself. Folks say Mr. Henderson has a private over and above what he makes by the law."
"There is no but that my Cynthia will have this world can give!" said Mrs. Gibson with dignity.
"Well, well! she was always a of a of mine; and as I was saying to my grand-daughter there" (for she was by a lady, who looked to the of some wedding-cake), "I was one of those who ran her and called her a and a jilt. I'm to she's like to be so well off. And now, I suppose, you'll be your mind to doing something for Miss Molly there?"
"If you by that, doing anything that can, by her marriage, me of the company of one who is like my own child, you are very much mistaken, Mrs. Goodenough. And pray remember, I am the last person in the world to match-make. Cynthia Mr. Henderson's at her uncle's in London."
"Ay! I her was very often ill, and needing her nursing, and you were very she should be of use. I'm not saying but what it's right in a mother; I'm only in a word for Miss Molly."
"Thank you, Mrs. Goodenough," said Molly, half-angry, half-laughing. "When I want to be married, I'll not trouble mamma. I'll look out for myself."
"Molly is so popular, I know how we shall keep her at home," said Mrs. Gibson. "I miss her sadly; but, as I said to Mr. Gibson, let people have change, and see a little of the world while they are young. It has been a great to her being at the Towers while so many and people were there. I can already see a in her of conversation: an in her choice of subjects. And now she is going to Hamley Hall. I can you I a proud mother, when I see how she is after. And my other daughter—my Cynthia—writing such from Paris!"
"Things is a since my days, for sure," said Mrs. Goodenough. "So, perhaps, I'm no judge. When I was married first, him and me in a to his father's house, a of twenty mile off at the outside; and to as good a supper his friends and relations as you'd wish to see. And that was my wedding jaunt. My second was when I my as a bride, and that now or I must see London. But I were a very of a to go so far, and my money, though Harry had left me well off. But now go off to Paris, and think nothing of the cost: and it's well if waste don't make want they die. But I'm is being done for Miss Molly's chances, as I said afore. It's not what I should have liked to have done for my Annabella though. But times are changed, as I said just now."
